Temperature shocks and low-carbon performance: Evidence from the transportation sector in China
研究发现，气温超过30°C的额外天数会使交通运输部门的碳全要素生产率下降0.25%，主要原因是高温降低了技术效率并导致能源结构转向高碳化，高速铁路可缓解这一负面影响。
This study identifies how temperature affects the transportation sector’s low-carbon performance, measured by carbon total factor productivity (CTFP). The findings reveal that an additional day with temperatures surpassing 30 °C results in a 0.25 % decrease in CTFP compared to days ranging from 15 °C to 20 °C. The mechanism analysis indicates that high temperatures primarily reduce CTFP by undermining technical efficiency, especially in reducing energy- and carbon-oriented technical efficiency. To combat heat stress, the transportation sector markedly increases the proportion of coal and oil consumption, thus shifting its energy structure towards a more carbon-intensive configuration. The heterogeneous analysis uncovers that the adverse impacts of high temperatures are more pronounced in transportation sectors located in the eastern region, in those that are energy- and labor-intensive, and in those heavily reliant on road transport. Moreover, we find that high-speed railways can effectively mitigate the negative impacts of high temperatures.